Bringing Healthy Choices to the Workplace

The workplace presents a unique opportunity for employers to invest in their most valuable asset – their employees. Companies that provide employees with a variety of work-site health promotion programs improve employee’s health, job satisfaction, and productivity along with reduce health care costs and lower absenteeism.

The Facts:

STRESS

• 46% of workers report that their job is very stressful (Northwestern Life Insurance Co.)
• Problems at work are more strongly associated with health complaints than are any other life stressor – more than financial problems or family problems (St. Paul Fire and Marine Co.)
• Nearly one out of 5 workers is at risk for stress related health problems – 3x risk of heart and cardiovascular problems, 2-3x risk of anxiety, back pain, substance abuse, injuries, infections, cancer and obesity
  (Luminari Landmark Study)

OBESITY

• 2 out of every 3 U.S. adults are overweight or obese (NHANES III)
• Obesity is a greater trigger for health problems and increased health spending than smoking or drinking. Individuals who are obese have 30-50% more chronic medical problems than those who smoke or drink heavily (Health and Affairs, 2002)
• Obesity is estimated to lead to 400,000 deaths annually (CDC)

INACTIVITY

• 40% of U.S. adults get no leisure, physical activity; only 14% meet the standard of brisk walking for 30 minutes per day, 5 times per week (CDC)

Employer Costs:

• Workers that report they are stressed incur health care costs 46% higher or $600 more per person than other employees (NIOSH)
• 60-90% of medical problems are associated with stress (Perkins, Harvard Business Review)
• Stress-related absence accounts for half of all sickness from work (Association for Counseling at Work)
• Obese individuals have higher health care utilization rates: (Control Data Corp)
  • 36% higher inpatient and outpatient spending
  • 77% higher medication spending
  • 45% more inpatient days
  • 11% higher annual health care costs
• Indirect Costs of Obesity:
  • Increased absenteeism
  • Increased presenteeism
  • Increased Short-term Disability
  • Inactivity costs $670-$1125 per person per year
    (Medicine and Science)

Immediate and Ongoing Benefits to Employers Offering Wellness Programs:

• For every one dollar a company invests in employee health, there was a 4.5 dollar return on investment (HHS, Dept. of Health Services)
• The CDC reports that a 10% weight loss will reduce an overweight person’s lifetime medical costs up to $5,300
• Increased Employee Attendance
• Improved Job Performance and Morale
• Increased Employee Job Satisfaction and Retention
• Improved Company Image
• Healthier Employees
• Reduced Health Care Costs

Choose the Olson Center for Wellness – your employees will thank you.